2008 MERCEDES-BENZ CL-Class ESP

450 Controls in detailDriving systemsIn the following cases you cannot activate
DISTRONIC Plus:

up to 2 minutes after starting the en-
gine


if the engine is switched off


if you step on the brake pedal while
driving


the vehicle is secured with the elec-
tronic parking brake


if the gear selector lever is in park
positionP, reverse gearR, or neutral
positionN


if ESP
® is switched off


if the hood is open


if the driver’s door is open and the driv-
er has not fastened his or her seat belt


if the radar sensors are switched off
(page 302).Switching on while driving

Tap DISTRONIC Plus lever up1 or
down2 until desired speed is set.
DISTRONIC Plus is switched on.
or

Pull DISTRONIC Plus lever briefly in di-
rection of arrow4 to call up speed
last set (
page 455).
DISTRONIC Plus is switched on.

Take your foot off the accelerator ped-
al.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to the ve-
hicle ahead, observing the set speed as
a maximum value.
i
Under 20 mph (30 km/h), you can only
switch on DISTRONIC Plus if the vehicle ahead of
you has been detected and is shown on the mul-
tifunction display. If you no longer see the vehi-
cle in front of you on the multifunction display
and if it is no longer detected because it has
changed lanes, for example, DISTRONIC Plus
switches off and you will hear a signal.
i
If you do not completely lift your foot off the
accelerator pedal, the message
“DISTRONIC PLUS Override” appears on the
multifunction display. The distance to a slow-
er-driving vehicle will not be set. You will drive at
the speed you dictate by pressing the accelera-
tor pedal.

451 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Switching on when approaching a
stationary vehicle
If the vehicle in front of you is stationary,
you can only switch on DISTRONIC Plus if
your vehicle is also at a standstill.
Tap DISTRONIC Plus lever up1 or
down2 until desired speed is set.
DISTRONIC Plus is switched on.
or

Pull DISTRONIC Plus lever briefly in di-
rection of arrow4 to call up speed
last set (
page 455).
DISTRONIC Plus is switched on.Starting off
When the vehicle in front of you starts off:

Remove your foot from the brake
pedal.

Pull DISTRONIC Plus lever briefly in di-
rection of arrow4.
or

Briefly step on the accelerator pedal.
Your vehicle starts off and adapts its speed
to the vehicle in front of you.Driving
If no vehicle is driving ahead of you,
DISTRONIC Plus functions like the cruise
control (
page 437).
When DISTRONIC Plus detects that the ve-
hicle in front of you is driving more slowly,
it brakes the vehicle in order to keep the
distance specified by you.
When DISTRONIC Plus detects that the ve-
hicle in front of you is driving faster, the ve-
hicle accelerates up to the set speed.
i
It is helpful to switch on the DISTRONIC Plus
display in the instrument cluster (
page 448)
since you can only switch on DISTRONIC Plus un-
d e r a s p e e d o f 2 0 m p h ( 3 0 k m / h ) w h e n a v e h i c l e
has been detected in front of you.
i
You can adjust the set speed using the
DISTRONIC Plus lever and the target distance
using the distance setting switch on the
DISTRONIC Plus lever (
page 457).
i
If DISTRONIC Plus is switched off,
PRE-SAFE
® Brake* (
page 75) will warn of an
impending collision if this function has been
activated with the instrument cluster control
system (
page 298).
Warning!
G
When you step on the brake pedal, you
switch off DISTRONIC Plus except when the
vehicle is at a standstill. DISTRONIC Plus will
no longer brake your vehicle. You are always
responsible for maintaining a distance from
other vehicles, observing road speeds and
braking well in advance.

456 Controls in detailDriving systemsDeactivating DISTRONIC Plus
There are several ways to deactivate the
DISTRONIC Plus system:
Briefly tip the DISTRONIC Plus lever in
the direction of arrow3 (
page 449).
or

Step on the brake pedal.
DISTRONIC Plus will be deactivated.
The last speed set will be stored into
memory.DISTRONIC Plus deactivates automatically
when:


the vehicle is secured with the elec-
tronic parking brake


the vehicle speed is below 20 mph
(30 km/h) and no preceding vehicle is
detected


the ESP
® is in operation or switched off
with the ESP
® switch (
page 72)


you set the automatic transmission to
park positionP, reverse gearR, or neu-
ral positionN while driving


the radar sensors are switched off
(page 302)


the vehicle rolls backward
The segments in the multifunction display
go out, an acoustic signal sounds, and the
message “DISTRONIC PLUS Off” appears in
the multifunction display for approximately
5 seconds.If the vehicle has been stopped by
DISTRONIC Plus and a malfunction occurs
in the system, the message “Brake Immedi-
ately” will appear on the multifunction dis-
play. Step on the brake immediately to
prevent the vehicle from rolling.
DISTRONIC Plus is then switched off and
the message disappears.
i
The last stored set speed is deleted when
the engine is turned off.
Warning!
G
DISTRONIC Plus switches off and releases
the brakes when the vehicle decelerates be-
low the minimum speed of 20 mph
(30 km/h) by operation of the system un-
less DISTRONIC Plus detects a vehicle di-
rectly ahead of you. At that time the driver
must apply the brakes in order to reduce ve-
hicle speed further or bring it to a stop.

458 Controls in detailDriving systemsIncreasing distance
Increasing the distance setting causes
DISTRONIC Plus to maintain a greater fol-
lowing distance to the preceding vehicle.
Move distance setting switch 1 in di-
rection 2.
Decreasing distance
Decreasing the distance setting causes
DISTRONIC Plus to maintain a shorter fol-
lowing distance to the preceding vehicle.

Move distance setting switch 1 in di-
rection 3.Driving with DISTRONIC Plus
This section describes a number of driving
situations where special precaution is re-
quired on the part of the driver. Be pre-
pared to brake in such situations. Braking
will deactivate the DISTRONIC Plus sys-
tem.
The most likely cause for a malfunctioning
system is a dirty sensor (located behind
the hood grille), especially at times of snow
and ice or heavy rain. In such a case,
DISTRONIC Plus will switch off, and the
message:
Warning!
G
DISTRONIC Plus works to maintain the
speed selected by the driver unless a mov-
ing obstacle proceeding directly ahead of it
in the same travel direction is detected (e.g.
following another vehicle ahead of you at
your set distance).
This means that:

Your vehicle can pass another vehicle
after you change lanes.


While in a sharp turn or if the vehicle in
front is in a sharp turn, DISTRONIC Plus
could lose sight of a vehicle traveling in
front of it, then your vehicle could accel-
erate to the previously selected speed.
DISTRONIC Plus regulates only the distance
between your vehicle and those directly
ahead of it. It may not register stationary ob-
jects in the road, e.g.:

a stopped vehicle in a traffic jam


a disabled vehicle


an oncoming vehicle
The driver must always be alert, observe all
traffic and intercede as required by means
of steering or braking the vehicle.
Warning!
G
DISTRONIC Plus should not be used in
snowy or icy road conditions.

461 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Cross-traffic
DISTRONIC Plus may inadvertently detect
crossing vehicles. If you switch on DIS-
TRONIC Plus, for example, at a traffic light
with cross-traffic, the vehicle may sudden-
ly start to drive off.
Active Body Control (ABC)
The ABC system is an active, comput-
er-controlled system that hydraulically ad-
justs the suspension at all four wheels in
response to various driving situations. It
automatically selects the optimum suspen-
sion tuning and ride height for your vehicle.Vehicle level controlWarning!
G
When you switch off the engine, the entire
vehicle is lowered. You should therefore
make sure that no one is near the wheel
housing or under the vehicle when you
switch off the engine. Otherwise, parts of
the individuals body could be trapped.!
When you switch off the engine, the entire
vehicle is lowered. When parking, position your
vehicle in such a way that it will not scrape
against a curb, for example, when it is lowered.
Your vehicle could otherwise be damaged.
i
CL 63 AMG and CL 65 AMG only:
When you switch off the engine, the entire vehi-
cle is lowered by 0.2 in (5 mm).
Warning!
G
To help avoid personal injury, keep hands
and feet away from wheel housing area, and
stay away from under the vehicle when
lowering the vehicle chassis.

463 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Selecting a normal level
Start the engine.
If indicator lamp2 is on:

Press switch1.
Indicator lamp2 goes out. The vehicle
is adjusted to a normal level.
Suspension tuning
The suspension tuning is set according to:


your driving style


road surface conditions


the vehicle loading


your choice of suspension styleThe program mode selector switch (C/S)
(
page 427) is used to adjust the suspen-
sion tuning:

Start the engine.

Select the desired driving program.
Parktronic system*
Driving program
Suspension tuning
CComfort
comfortable
(default setting)
SSport
sporty
for dynamic driving
Warning!
G
Parktronic is a supplemental system. It is
not intended to, nor does it replace, the
need for extreme care. The responsibility
during parking and other critical maneuvers
always remains with the driver.Warning!
G
Make sure no persons or animals are in the
area in which you are maneuvering. You
could otherwise injure them.!
Special attention must be paid to objects
with smooth surfaces or low silhouettes (e.g.
trailer couplings, painted posts, elevated cross-
bars or road curbs). Such objects may not be
detected by the system and can damage the
vehicle.

464 Controls in detailDriving systemsThe Parktronic system is an electronic
parking aid with ultrasonic sensors that
helps you while parking.
It visually and audibly indicates the relative
distance between the vehicle and an ob-
stacle.
The Parktronic system is automatically ac-
tivated when you switch on the ignition, re-
lease the electronic parking brake or start
the engine and engage drive positionD, re-
verse gearR or neutral positionN.The Parktronic system deactivates at
speeds over approximately 11 mph
(18 km/h). At lower speeds the Parktronic
system turns on again.
The Parktronic system also deactivates
when you set the automatic transmission
to park positionP or secure the vehicle in
place with the electronic parking brake
and switch off the engine.
The Parktronic system monitors the sur-
roundings of your vehicle with six sensors
in the front bumper and four sensors in the
rear bumper.
1Sensors in the front bumper (Only visi-
ble without DISTRONIC Plus*)Range of the sensors!
The operational function of the Parktronic
system can be affected by dirty sensors, espe-
cially at times of snow and ice.
Make sure that the area on the bumpers around
the sensors is free of dirt, ice and/or slush,
otherwise the Parktronic system may not
function properly, see “Cleaning the Parktronic*
system sensors” (
page 600).
i
Interference caused by other ultrasonic sig-
nals (e.g. working jackhammers, car wash, or the
air brakes of trucks) can cause the system to
send erratic indications, and should be taken
into consideration.
i
To function properly, the sensors must be
free of dirt, ice, snow and slush. Clean the sen-
sors regularly, being careful not to scratch or
damage the sensors, see “Cleaning the Park-
tronic* system sensors” (
page 600).

467 Controls in detail
Driving systems

Switching off the Parktronic sys-
tem: Press button 1.
Indicator lamp 2 comes on.

Switching on the Parktronic system:
Press button 1 again.
Indicator lamp 2 goes out.
Parktronic system malfunction
If only the red distance segments illumi-
nate and an acoustic warning sounds,
there is a malfunction in the Parktronic
system. The Parktronic system will auto-
matically switch off after 20 seconds and
the indicator lamp in the Parktronic switch
comes on.

Have the Parktronic system checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
If only the red distance segments illumi-
nate and no acoustic warning sounds, the
Parktronic system sensors are dirty or
there is an interference from other radio or
ultrasonic signals. The Parktronic system
will automatically switch off after 20 sec-
onds and the indicator lamp in the
Parktronic switch comes on.

Switch off the ignition (
page 365).

Clean the Parktronic system sensors
(page 600).

Switch on the ignition.
or

Check the Parktronic system operation
at another location to rule out interfer-
ence from outside radio or ultrasonic
signals.
Park Assist*
i
The Parktronic system is automatically
switched on when the ignition is switched on
(
page 365).
Warning!
G
Park Assist is a supplemental system. It is
not intended to, nor does it replace, the
need for extreme care. The responsibility
during parking and other critical maneuvers
always remains with the driver.Warning!
G
Make sure no persons or animals are in the
area in which you are maneuvering. You
could otherwise injure them.!
Special attention must be paid to objects
with smooth surfaces or low silhouettes (e.g.
trailer couplings, painted posts, elevated cross-
bars or road curbs). Such objects may not be
detected by the system and can damage the
vehicle.